


Where I Belong

by ravenofazarath2



Category: Teen Titans (Animated Series), Teen Titans (Comics)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-09
Updated: 2020-06-09
Packaged: 2021-03-04 04:55:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,271
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24628177
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ravenofazarath2/pseuds/ravenofazarath2
Summary: As the Titans grow older, they are faced with new and life-altering changes. Rated M for potential language and future mature themes.
Relationships: Dick Grayson/Koriand'r, Garfield Logan/Raven, Raven/Wally West
Comments: 2
Kudos: 25





	1. Chapter 1

_The smell of pine trees grew stronger as she ran. Cooler and cooler became the air as the darkness of the forest swallowed her whole. Her heart beat rapidly from a mixture of over-exertion and fear. Fear. It wasn't something she was used to, but it enveloped her now like a stormy sea drawing a ship into its depths for all eternity. A branch snapped and her heart skipped a beat. Her pursuer as getting closer. Faster. She has to run faster. Trees blur by. Faster. The wind whips her hair. Faster. Leaves crouch and twigs snap under her feet. Lights ahead caught her attention. A highway. A few hundred feet and she'd be safe. Safe. Safety was almost in her grasp. Pain spread through her ankle and the ground rose to meet her. She fell. She fell and hope was gone. Safety was gone. Her ankle. It must be broken. There was nothing she could do. Nothing but wait. Wait for it. The monster. No, the demon. She squeezed her eyes shut as she felt the not, dank breath on her face. This was it. This was the end. The beast let out a low, guttural snarl and - ___

____

____

The sound of the common room's door sliding shut startled Raven out of her trance. Placing her bookmark between the pages she was just reading, she glanced over the top of the couch to see who had just entered. A breeze scented of oak and pine drifted by and something thudded on the couch beside the sorceress. "Sup, Rae?"

Raven let out a sigh and closed her book. "What have I told you about disturbing me while I'm reading?" she deadpanned.

The green changeling slouched into the couch. "If you don't want to be disturbed, then why are you in here?" He snatched Raven's book. "What are you even reading?" he asked, opening the book upside down.

Raven let out a small grin as she grabbed the book back from Beast Boy. "And what have I told you about touching my things?" she said in a forced monotone. As much as she hated to admit it, Beast Boy's feigned stupidity often amused her.

Beast Boy frowned, but his ears twitched, hinting that he noticed the falter in her usual stoicity.

Raven scoffed to cover up her slip up and reopened her book. "Where have you been all day, anyway?" she asked as she placed her bookmark on the arm of the couch.

Placing his hands behind his head, Beast Boy stretched into a lounging position. "Out."

"No shit, Sherlock," Raven scoffed. She glanced at the green changeling out of the corner of her eye. "But I won't make you talk about it." Her eyes lingered here his shirt had risen up to expose his skin. Raven caught herself and snapped her attention back to her book.

The two sat in a comfortable silence. Between sentences, Raven snuck glanced at her friend. Time had been kind to Beast Boy and he had finally grown. He now towered over all but Cyborg, and his scrawny form had filled out and become more toned. In place of his spikes, he now wore his hair in more of an I-just-woke-up style. With his eyes closed, he looked peaceful.

Raven closed her book and carefully placed it on the coffee table. "I'm going to make tea. You want some?"

"Sure," Beast Boy replied without opening his eyes. His one-word responses were starting to get on Raven's nerves.

The purple-haired girl rose from the couch and float d towards the kitchen. "Are you going to the Titans party tonight?" she asked as she filled the kettle eight water. She placed it on the stove and turned the burner on.

"Dude, totally," Beast Boy replied. "Garth, Roy, and Iare all wingmanning for each other. Gonna try to get some ladies."

Raven rolled her eyes as she placed some tea leaves into two infusers and grabbed two mugs from a cabinet. Ever since Beast Boy matured, he had become kind of a player; he was very rarely seen with the same girl twice. What Raven would never admit is that his promiscuity upset her. No one could know about her feelings for him.

"What about you? Are you going?"

The kettle started to whistle and Raven picked it up and began pouring over the first infuser before answering. "You know I never go to parties." She began filling the second mug.

"You should go," Beast Boy said, sitting up to look at Raven. His emerald green eyes watched her every move as she added three packs of sugar to one mug and one pack of crystallized honey to the other. "You might enjoy yourself."

Raven took a sip of the honey sweetened tea as she used her powers to pick up her friend's mug. "I don't know." She walked back to the couch, placed the floating mug in Beast Boy's hands, and sat back down in her corner. "I'm not a huge fan of large crowds of people."

Beast Boy took a sip of his tea and closed his eyes, savoring the warm liquid. Raven never understood how he could stand his tea so sweet; her one packet was almost too much. "Well, think about it. It never hurts to let loose every once in a while."

Raven placed her mug on the coffee table and picked up her book. "We'll see," she said as she settled into the couch. She opened her book and began reading.

All of a sudden, an alarm started going off. The two Titans looked at each other. "Trouble!"


	2. Chapter Two

Raven stood in the shower, letting the hot water run over her body. The crime alert hadn't been anything major. Mumbo Jumbo had been attempting to rob a jewelry store. Although Mumbo wasn't much of a threat, his pathetic parlor tricks often left Raven feeling kind of gross.

As she lathered her lavender-scented shampoo into her short, purple hair, Raven thought about what Beast Boy had said earlier about her going to the party. As much as she hated to admit it, he was right. She had never really been to a party before. She honestly might enjoy it. Plus it would be a great way to forget about the day's earlier scrape with Mumbo. The pale sorceress sighed with resignation. She was going to the party.

She quickly conditioned her hair and washed her body. She grabbed her razor and can of shaving cream and quickly but carefully shaved. Once she was done, she turned off the water, stepped out of the tub, and towel dried off. She wiped the steam off her antique mirror and brushed her hair and teeth.

Putting on her lilac colored robe, Raven stepped into her room. She crossed the floor, opened the door, and poked her head out. Finding the hallway empty, she darted to a room a few doors down. Timidly, she knocked on the door.

After a few anxious seconds, the door slid open to reveal Starfire standing in a white robe with her long, red hair wrapped up in a white towel atop her head. "Friend Raven?" she said in confusion.

Raven looked down at the floor and shifted her weight a little. _This must be how Beast Boy feels when he comes to apologize to me_ , Raven thought before she looked back up and awkwardly responded. "Hi, I, um, was thinking, and I decided to go tonight, but I don't have anything to wear. Do you think you could, um, help me?"

"Are you for the reals?" the Tamaranean questioned, excitement already starting to seep into her voice.

Raven meekly nodded. She felt her cheeks flush as she realized the mess she had just gotten herself into.

Starfire squealed in glee and pulled Raven into the room. She sat Raven on the bed and rushed into her bathroom.

"Please, not too much," Raven begged as Starfire returned with her arms full of makeup and hair supplies.

"Of course, friend!" Starfire replied. "I have just the look for you!" She knelt in front of the seated girl and began.

After what felt like hours of eye poking, hair pulling, and hot styling irons uncomfortably close, Starfire stepped back to look at her masterpiece.

"Can I look?" Raven asked, wanting to assess the damage.

"Not yet," the orange alien replied. "You must be the completely ready first." She walked into her closet and returned with a yellow plastic bag. "This dress will work." She handed the bag over.

Raven pulled the dress from the bag. "Why are there so many holes? And what about the sleeves? How am I supposed to wear a bra if there aren't any sleeves?"

Starfire giggled. "You are not. But you came to me for help. Now you must trust me."

"Fine," Raven sighed. She stood up, removed her robe, and pulled the dress on.

"And these shoes," Starfire said as she handed Raven a pair of shiny black pumps. She waited patiently but excitedly while the other girl put the shoes on, then dragged her to the full-length mirror on the closet door.

"I don't know, Star, I feel exposed. My arms are naked and I feel a draft."

Starfire pointed to the mirror, smiling. "Just look."

Raven obliged and what she saw shocked her. The first thing that caught her attention was her lips. They were done in a deep red, a color that would normally make her look like a clown had Starfire not offset them with a dark smokey eye. Her cheeks had just the slightest touch of blush to give Raven a little more color. Her hair had been curled into loose beach waves, a style that looked surprisingly good on her short bob. The dress was black and sleeveless with a high neckline, which left Raven's shoulders completely exposed. It was tight-fitted down to her waist, where the skirt part flowed out and down to her mid-thigh. There was an arching hole about three fingers high on each side of her waist. The seam where the torso met the skirt had a faux leather "belt." All hens except the bottom were lined by the same fabric. Overall, the dress had a sexy ballerina look to it. The black pumps lengthened Raven's legs and defined her muscles. Although she had her doubts, Raven had to admit Starfire did a good job.

"Are you pleased?"

At a loss for words, Raven just nodded. She turned to look at her friend.

"Wonderful!" Starfire said as she French braided her hair. She was now in her dress as well, and Raven was glad she wasn't given that one. Starfire's dress was in two parts, a bra and a skirt. The maroon bra had one strap tied around her back and another that haltères around her neck. The skirt, also maroon, was tied with the bra at Starfire's sternum and dipped down to just above her rear in the back. A built in slip went tightly to her knees, and a sheer overlay flowed all the way to the floor. A slit ran up the left side of the overlay, revealing Starfire's maroon, strappy heels. Her ribs and back were left completely bare. The ensemble made the Tamaranean appear impossibly tall.

"Wow, Star. You look amazing," Raven said in a rare moment of openness.

"Why, thank you, friend!" Starfire walked into her bathroom and started applying her makeup.

A knock on the door drew Raven's attention away from her reflection. She glanced at Starfire, who nodded as if to say Raven could answer. Raven crossed the floor, thankful her natural gracefulness kept her up in her heels, and pushed the button to slide the door open.

"Damn, Rae!" a deep voice bellowed. "You actually look nice. Are you going tonight?"

"Hey, Cy," Raven greeted the half-metal man. "Yes, I'm going. But did you just imply that I don't normally look good?"

Cyborg's face dropped as he realized what he had said. "No! I - uh - that's not what I meant. You just don't normally try."

Raven was about to say something when Robin stepped out from behind the stuttering man. He was wearing a slick black suit that reminded Raven of Barney Stinson. "You're just digging yourself a bigger hole, Cy," he said with a laugh. "What he means is this look suits you."

"Thank you, Robin," the sorceress said, shooting Cyborg a small smile so he'd know she was just giving him a hard time.

"Is it the time to leave?" Starfire asked, walking up behind Raven.

"Yep!" Cyborg replied. "The T-car is all ready." He stepped to the side to let the two girls exit the room.

"Will Beast Boy not be joining us tonight?" Starfire asked as she stepped into Robin's arms. The two had been steadily dating since Tokyo almost three years ago.

"He left already," Robin answered. "Roy came by and picked him up."

The group of four walked to the elevator and rode it down to the basement. Raven stood in silence, unsure whether to be excited or filled with dread at what her immediate future held. The three other Titans loaded into the T-car, Cyborg driving and the happy couple cuddling in the back.

"Friend Raven, are you coming?" Starfire asked.

"Yeah, I ain't driving Miss Daisy here," Cyborg added.

"I do not understand. Neither Robin nor I are named Daisy," Starfire said as Raven climbed into the passenger seat.

The T-car roared to life and took off down the exit tunnel while Cyborg and Robin tried to explain the dated reference to a confused Starfire,p. Raven stayed out the window at the passing lights, deep in thought. _I guess it's too late to back out now._


	3. Chatper Three

Raven stood and watched as Starfire dragged Robin through the door of the club, drawing the attention of the people they passed. It had been twenty minutes since they left the tower, and Raven was still unsure of her decision to join in the festivities.

"You'll be fine," Cyborg said stepping up behind Raven. "You've faced much worse than a party with friends."

"I know, but that doesn't mean I'll be comfortable." She shivered in the cool air and hugged her arms to her body. _Why did Star have to take away my sleeves?_

"If at any point you decide you want to leave, let me know and I'll take you home. I don't show it, but I'm not big on parties either."

Raven looked up into her friend's smiling face. "Then why do you always go?"

Cyborg gently placed a hand on Raven's shoulder. "Because it's good to step outside of your comfort zone." With that, Cyborg left Raven alone on the sidewalk and entered the club.

Raven sighed. Cyborg was right. She would never get anywhere if she didn't take risks and be uncomfortable. Taking a deep breath for encouragement, Raven stepped into the club.

The lights were dim inside with black lights and colored lasers accentuating the near darkness. To the left was a bar, LED lights illuminating the alcohol on the shelves. A few large, circular booths occupied the back right corner. The main part of the space was a large dance floor filled with people dancing to the loud music playing. In the years after defeating Trigon, Raven was able to get control of her powers. While she wasn't perfect, situations like this didn't bother her nearly as much as they used to, and there was essentially no chance of there being any problems. Didn't mean she liked the place though.

Seeing an empty seat, Raven made her way to the bar. She sat on the stool and watched Starfire and Robin on the dance floor. Some song from a Channing Tatum movie was playing, and Starfire was dancing with no inhibitions. Robin's mask did little to hide the blush forming from Starfire's sensual moves.

"Can I get you anything, miss?"

Raven turned to look at the bartender. She didn't drink often, but when she did, it was some peach and pineapple mix Beast Boy made her. Unfortunately, she didn't know what it was called. A lit up sign with neon marker caught her eye. Today's special: Long Island iced tea. _Well, I do like tea._ Raven placed her order and turned her attention back to the dance floor. Seeing the usually stoic team leader this uncomfortable was quite entertaining.

The song ended and Raven turned back around to find her drink, adorned with an orange and green toothpick umbrella, sitting on the bar next to her. She pulled the drink closer and took a sip through the straw. As the cold liquid passed over her tongue and down her throat, her eyes widened in shock. Whatever this drink was, it was not tea. Once she had swallowed the sip, Raven made a noise that sounded similar to a cat hacking up a hairball.

"Not what you were expecting, was it?" someone next to her said through a chuckle.

_Is he mocking us?_ Rage said as Raven turned to face her accuser.

Kid Flash sat on the stool beside her, sporting a smile that caused his blue eyes to twinkle. His red hair was gelled into messy spikes and he was wearing black skinny jeans and a plain, crimson tee. "The name is very deceiving."

Raven felt herself blush a little. "Oh, Ki- I mean Wally. I don't really drink," she explained, "so I thought it was going to be tea with a shot in it."

Wally chuckled again. "You couldn't have been more wrong. It's made of nothing but straight alcohol. Here, let me order you something you'll like better." He waved down the bartender. "We'll take two pink Starbursts, please."

The bartender nodded and walked off to make the two beverages.

"What's a pink Starburst?" Raven asked, wary of unknown drinks now that she realized how little she knew.

"Where's the fun and surprise in telling you?" Wally joked. "Trust me, you'll like it."

"You better be right," Raven responded as the bartender placed two shot glasses on the bar in front of them. The glasses contained a neon pink liquid and were rimmed with pink sugar crystals. "Pink?"

Wally picked up one of the shot glasses. "Trust me."

Raven sighed, picked up her glass, and sniffed it. It smelled sweet.

"Cheers," Wally said, raising his glass to her.

"Cheers," Raven responded, mimicking his actions. She watched as he tipped his head back and gulped the drink and she did the same. It was extremely sweet and tasted like candy. "Wow, that was pretty good." She glanced up to see Wally licking the sugar off the rim of his glass.

"It's definitely a good one for starters," Wally agreed. He signaled to the bartender for two more drinks, then turned back to the dark-haired woman in front of him. "I don't think I've seen you at one of these things before."

Raven looked around at all the intoxicated young adults in the club, half-heartedly sifting through the emotions before pushing them down from her consciousness. "Crowds have never really been my thing."

"Well, it's good to see you out," Wally responded, placing his arm on the bar and leaning forward. "It has been a while." The tips of his fingers lightly brushed against Raven's bare knee.

Raven internally flinched at the touch, but held herself back. She really didn't want to make a public scene over something so small, and the alcohol working through her system definitely helped suppress the urge to throw him into the shelves of bottles behind the bar. In fact, now that she wasn't repulsed by it, the touch seemed intriguing in a way she wasn't used to. "That it has."

The bartender placed the two new shots down next to the pair of Titans.

Wally picked up his glass and raised it towards Raven. "Here's to friends and firsts."

Raven picked her glass up, raised it toward Wally, then downed her second shot. Within a few moments, she felt a numbing buzz start to take hold of her mind and the press of the crowd's consciousness around her dimmed a little.

"I've been in Steel City awhile. How have things been here in Jump City?"

Raven began recounting tales of confrontations as the bartender provided yet another round of shots. Wally nodded along with her stories, and she was acutely aware that he took every chance he had to touch her in some way, but she paid it no mind. Wally also had many stories to share, and for the first time in a very long while, Raven found herself somewhat enjoying her time out of the Tower.

After a while, the conversation found a lull. Raven noticed that, although they weren't talking anymore, the silence wasn't awkward. Wally was the one to break it first.

The song that was playing began to come to and in, and Wally placed his hand on Raven's. "What are the chances you would say yes if I asked you to dance?"

Blood rushed to Raven's cheeks as she quickly glanced away. She had never been asked anything of the sorts by a guy before, and she really wasn't sure how to respond. She had never thought about any guy in that way, other than Beast Boy, and even then it was rare by choice.

Movement by the side wall and a spike of emotion breaking through her numbed empath senses caught her attention. She looked up. Beast Boy was guiding a starstruck blonde towards the bathroom by her hand. He leaned over and whispered something in her ear, and she giggled. The blonde ran her spare, manicured hand up Beast Boy's chest, pulling his dark grey shirt away from his dark jeans and exposing his midriff. The two disappeared behind the swinging door.

Raven felt a pain in her chest. Pushing the all too familiar feelings down, she turned back to Wally. "After another drink, I'd say your chances are looking pretty good," Raven responded with a slight slur emerging. She waved down the bartender for another round.


	4. Chapter Four

Jinx half-heartedly stirred the Coke in front of her with her straw, the sound of the clinking ice barely audible over the pounding music. She had been one of the good guys, a Titan, for a few years now, but she still felt out of place at events like these. Other Titans didn't trust her, and she didn't really blame them. She had been the leader of the Hive before a much younger Wally helped her see the error of her ways and she became an honorary member. But she could tell that even her unwillingness to tie herself down to one of the five official teams made everyone wary. As if she wasn't truly dedicated to The Good Cause. That's why she wasn't drinking tonight. She wanted to make sure she stayed in full control of herself. Make sure the alcohol didn't cause any bad luck. Her name was Jinx after all.

The music changed to a similar sounding upbeat song, and the couples on the dance floor kept grinding on each other.

She sighed as she pushed her glass to the side, the condensation leaving a trail of water on the bar. This night really could use some booze. She placed her head in her hands, the monotony of the club boring her.

A giggle nearby drew her attention. Jinx lazily looked up to the source of the noise to see something she never thought would happen. Raven, and a drunk Raven at that, was grinding on Wally. Jinx stared, wide-eyed, at the spectacle. Raven, queen of staying home, was out of the Tower and, to be honest, making a fool of herself. She was moving her hips offbeat, grasping Wally's wrists for support like she'd fall without them. Jinx guessed that she probably would.

Jinx picked up her Coke and took a sip, glad she had decided not to drink tonight. She had a very strong feeling her friend was going to need help later none of these _heroes_ could provide.

The song changed to a slower one, and the dancing couples drew themselves into their partners' arms. Wally whispered something in Raven's ear, then led her to a table that had opened up.

Jinx sighed. She knew she shouldn't care. He was a good guy after all; he'd never do anything bad. But she also knew Raven had a bit of a, well, temper. Jinx stood up, bringing her now watered down drink with her. She found a high table close to the booth the duo had picked. She wanted to keep a close eye on them. She'd be damage control if things got out of hand. She settled down and continued watching the people dancing, but keeping her attention focused on the flirting couple not far away.

~0~0~

Beast Boy stood at the bathroom sink, straightening his clothes in the mirror. The girl - Hannah, Haley, Kylie, he couldn't remember - had left the bathroom first, not wanting to draw even more attention to the promiscuous activities that had gone down in the end stall. He washed his hands then ran a wet hand through his tousled hair. Despite the fun he had just had, and based by the blonde's exclamations, it must have been fun, he still felt something was off. Beast Boy placed his hands on the edge of the counter and leaned forward towards his reflection. He stared at his eyes, looking for any inclination as to why he felt like there was something missing.

"What's wrong with me?" he asked as he shook his head. He plastered a smile on his face. "I can have any girl I want, whenever I want. It's every superhero's dream, right?" He splashed his face with water then dried his hands.

The club's music got louder as he opened the door to the bathroom and walked out. He strolled up to the bar and leaned against it.

"Yo, bartender!" He waved the man over. "Could I have another gin and tonic?"

The bartender nodded and left to mix the drink.

Beast Boy turned and rested his elbows against the edge of the bar, leaning back on it. He noticed Jinx wasn't sitting at the corner of the bar anymore. _Maybe she finally got the courage to mingle_ , Beast Boy thought. He hoped so. Although the girl had a bad past, being a criminal and all, he thought she was cool. Her past made her a really great addition to the team, and she was a great friend when she visited.

"Gin and tonic, sir," the bartender said, placing the glass next to Beast Boy's right elbow.

Beast Boy nodded to the man and picked up his drink. He took a swig as he scanned the club, looking for someone to dance with, something - someone - to do. Most of the non-Titans in the bar seemed really drunk at this point, and Beast Boy's interest faded. He didn't mind hooking up as much as he did, but he refused to do so with anyone who wasn't sober. Only creeps did that.

He sighed, accepting that, for now, the one hook up was it for the night. He glanced around the club again to place his friends. Star had Robin on the dance floor, naturally. He chuckled at how uncomfortable his leader looked as his tipsy, scantily clad, alien girlfriend left very little to the imagination about their sex life. His eyes roamed again until the found Roy, Speedy. He was very unsuccessfully to pick up a brunette next to him.

"Roy's never going to get a girl like that," he laughed to himself as the archer stumbled against the girl when trying to brush his hand against hers.

Beast Boy's eyes roamed until they landed on Jinx. The pink-haired Titan was dressed in high-waisted, blue denim shorts, a white _The Breakfast Club_ crop top, and combat boots. Beast Boy never understood the appeal of crop tops; they left very little to the imagination, and he liked working for those views. Jinx was nursing her drink, which Beast Boy doubted contained any alcohol. She never drank at these get togethers.

_Why has she moved?_ Beast Boy asked himself. He didn't think he'd ever seen her leave the bar before. Then he noticed she kept glancing over her shoulder, and he followed her gaze. What he saw made his jaw drop.

Raven was at the club. And, based on her actions, she was insanely drunk. But her being drunk wasn't what shocked him the most - he had made her plenty of pina coladas back at the tower for game nights. It wasn't even the fact that she was out, in public, surrounded by emotions he knew her empath self would be flooded by. He was most shocked by the fact that she was practically in Wally's lap, making out with the speedster. She always seemed so reserved, holding her emotions in check all the time. But here she was, playing tonsil hockey with another Titan while his hands explored more of her than Beast Boy thought anyone had ever touched.

Beast Boy felt anger rise up in him as Wally's hands brushed Raven's bare skin through the openings in the side of her dress. Nobody should touch Raven that way. Nobody but… The changeling shook his head. _Where had that come from?_ He asked himself. He didn't have any feelings for her, and she definitely felt nothing towards him. Her constant nagging and sarcasm said as much. He had no reason to be so… possessive of his teammate.

He chugged the rest of his drink, then signalled to the bartender for another. His eyes drifted to the entrance. Another group of what looked like sorority girls walked in. The night was still young. Maybe Beast Boy had another chance after all. He picked up his refreshed drink and walked over to the group, a flirty smile on his lips.

~0~0~

"Sorry, but I don't dance," Jinx said to the beer-smelling frat boy in front of her.

"Aw, c'mon, babe! It's just one dance." The guy grabbed Jinx's arm. "One dance can't hurt."

Jinx jerked her arm away from him. "Get off me."

The frat boy reached for Jinx again, but a hand caught his wrist and held him.

"She said no," Wally said from behind Jinx. "No means no. Now scram."

The drunk man puffed up his chest and saddled up to Wally. "The fuck you going to do about it?"

Wally not so subtly flashed his Titans communicator. "Take a wild guess."

Jinx flashed a not-so-sweet smile as the guy finally took the hint and back off to his group of rowdy friends. Then she turned to Wally. "I had that under control."

"I know you did," Wally responded. "But I figured it couldn't hurt to help speed things along. No pun intended."

Jinx rolled her eyes. "Yeah. Thanks." She glanced back at the booth Wally had come from. Raven was still sitting there, admiring the ice in a glass of water. When she noticed Jinx looking her way, she smiled giddly and waved.

"She's the one who sent me," Wally said. "Something about girls having each other's backs or something."

Jinx narrowed her eyes at Wally, then looked back at Raven. "Mind if I join you guys? I'm getting tired of fighting off creeps."

"Sure." Wally and Jinx walked over to the booth.

Jinx slid in beside Raven, forcing Wally to sit opposite them. She didn't care who her ex shacked up with, but after the make out session he had with Raven, she wanted to make sure nothing else happened tonight.

"Jinx!" Raven slurred, snaring Jinx in a bear hug. "How're you?"

The pink-haired sorceress slowly peeled the empath's arms off her. "Pretty good. How are you doing? Getting enough water?"

Raven responded by making a show of picking up the glass she had been ogling earlier and taking a huge sip. "Lots of water!" Suddenly, her face paled, something Jinx didn't even know was possible, and her eyebrows scrunched together. "I don't feel so good."

Jinx immediately knew what was about to happen. "Hey, I got this from here," she said to Wally as she pulled Raven out of the booth. The empath was insanely drunk. _Why'd Wally let her keep drinking?_ Jinx thought to herself. "Why don't you go play pool with Roy."

Wally shrugged. "Yeah, I guess it is time to get her home, and I'm not exactly in a state to drive either." He slid out from his side of the booth. "See ya. And Raven, I had a wonderful time." He sauntered away.

Raven's hand went up to her mouth, and Jinx dragged her to the bathroom as fast as she could. The two burst into a stall, and just in time. Raven sank to the floor and was sick. Jinx held the empath's purple hair out of the back and rubbed her back.

After a few minutes, Raven's convulsions stopped and she slowly sat up. She gave Jinx a small smile. "Thanks." Her voice was raspy from the all heaving.

"It's quite alright, babe," Jinx responded, leading Raven to the sink to clean up.

"I wanna go home," Raven whimpered, looking at Jinx. Her face was clammy and she had a strand of hair stuck to her cheek.

Jinx brushed the hair behind Raven's ear. "Of course, sweetie. Let's go home."


	5. Chapter Five

The two women walked along a street, empty in the late hours of the night. Jinx had her arm around Raven to both support her and keep her warm in the cool September air. They had left the bar a while ago and were walking up to the entrance to the Tower. Jinx thought the walk back would be better for Raven instead of a cab ride home, and the cool air did seem to help her nausea.

After Raven let the two Titans into the Tower, Jinx led Raven to the kitchen. Once Raven was sat at the counter, Jinx walked to the fridge. She looked through until she found a carton of eggs, then walked to the stove, pulled out a pan, and got it heating. "How's some scrambled eggs sound?"

The two women walked alongside a street, empty in the late hours of the night. Jinx had her arm around Raven to both support her and keep her warm in the cool September air. They had left the bar a while ago and were walking up to the entrance to the Tower. Jinx thought the walk back would be better for Raven instead of a cab ride home, and the cool air did seem to help her nausea.

After Raven let the two Titans into the Tower, Jinx led Raven to the kitchen. Once Raven was seated at the counter, Jinx walked to the fridge. She looked through until she found a carton of eggs, then walked to the stove, pulled out a pan, and got it heating. "How's some scrambled eggs sound?"

"Eggs sound yummy," Raven said through an uncharacteristic smile.

Jinx looked up at the half-demon. Her lipstick was gone, her eye makeup was smeared, and her hair looked like a rat's nest. Even looking like a complete mess, she was pretty. Her overly pale skin was offset by her full, amethyst eyes. Her lips in their default position formed a light pout that was more cute than offputting. "That's great to hear." She turned and cooked the eggs.

"These are my favorite drunk food," Jinx said, placing the plate down in front of Raven and leaning against the counter.

Raven picked up her fork and started eating. "I've never been drunk before," she said between mouthfuls. "I've always been afraid I'd lose control of my powers while intoxicated, so Beast Boy's always helped me make sure I don't have too much."

Wow, does that sound familiar, Jinx thought. "You don't seem to have any problems controlling tonight, though."

"I think it's 'cause everything feels all blurry."

Jinx laughed. "That's a good way of describing it." She watched as Raven continued eating. If she never gets drunk, why was she tonight? This was textbook problem avoidance if Jinx ever saw it. Now's not the time to ask, Jinx thought. Let her enjoy her food. When the empath placed her fork on her empty plate, Jinx led her to the bathroom to brush her teeth.

"You wanna stay the night?" Raven asked as Jinx helped her into her very conservative pajamas. She looked at the witch expectantly.

"Of course." Jinx led the empath to her bed and they both sat down. "It'll be like a sleepover."

"I've never had a sleepover before." Raven looked down to her hands resting in her lap.

Jinx nudged the empath with her shoulder. "Then let this be your first one. There's lots we can do."

"No makeovers or half-naked pillow fights," Raven said sternly.

"Those are really only in the movies," Jinx laughed. "It's more like lots of junk food, stupid movies, girl talk, boy talk, then, when we go to bed, we get all philosophical. If it were a party, pranks could be played, but that's not really my thing."

"Good." Raven nodded with a serious pout on her face. "So what's first?"

"Got any ice cream?"

Two cartons and two spoons floated up through a black portal in the floor. "There's strawberry and chocolate," Raven responded, grabbing the food.

Jinx took the tub of chocolate ice cream and a spoon, leaving Raven with the strawberry, for which the blue-haired girl looked thankful. "Thanks, hon." She took off the lid and began eating. "Do you want to watch a movie?"

Raven nodded, her spoon turned upside down in her mouth, and pointed at a wall-mounted TV hidden in a dark corner of her room. She pulled the spoon out of her mouth and placed it in her tub of ice cream. "Cyborg insisted on putting one in here, even though I told him I'd never use it. Something about everybody needs one or something." She tossed Jinx the remote, which had accrued a thick layer of dust from sitting on her nightstand, untouched.

"You cool with starting with one of my favorites?" Jinx asked as she powered on the TV and found the built-in streaming service. Cyborg had somehow rigged the TV to have every movie imaginable in it's database. "It's _Scott Pilgrim vs. The World_."

"I've heard about that one. I'm down." Raven leaned back against her headboard, still eating away at her carton.

Jinx started the movie and settled in beside the empath. The two Titans watched the movie in near silence, only commenting on the plot every now and then. When the movie ended, Jinx started another movie, _The Breakfast Club_.

"Why weren't you drinking tonight?" Raven asked a few minutes into the movie.

Jinx turned to look at her. Raven was looking at her with wide eyes, which still had the unfocus of intoxication. "Because there's still some people who think I'm always about to go back to my life of iniquity. I don't want to give them more reason to think so, so I stay sober to keep from lashing out."

"I get that." Raven looked down at her almost gone pink treat. "I was raised with the fear that if I ever lose control, Trigon, my… father," she practically spit this word, "would take over and destroy not just Earth, but the whole universe. And even though he's gone, I can't shake the fear that it could still happen. I can sense that same fear from my teammates, sometimes, when I get too aggressive in a fight. That's why I try to keep them at a distance. If it does happen, if my past does come back to haunt me, they won't get hurt."

Jinx stared at the sorceress. While she was closest with Raven - which really wasn't saying too much - she knew that the empath liked to keep her distance, and that it had to do with something from her past. She had never guessed it was because her father was an interdimensional demon. Hearing her admit this, she knew Raven was opening up more than she was used to. She placed her hand on Raven's knee. "Well, I think you have nothing to fear. You're brave, and you're strong, and you have people close to you who love you and would fight for you if - and that's a very strong, hypothetical if - anything were to happen."

Raven blushed. "Hey, look at you. All good here. I don't know what those idiots worry about."

The women fell into a comfortable silence, watching the movie.

After a few minutes, Jinx turned to Raven. "Why did you drink? I don't think I've ever seen you drink enough to actually be wasted."

Raven's amethyst eyes darkened, a new shine coming to them.

Shit, is she crying? Jinx nudged the empath with her shoulder. "Hey, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to. Just know that, sometimes, it's better to talk about things with someone rather than bottle them up."

Raven nodded and closed her eyes, as if to blink away the threatening tears. "It's okay." She opened her eyes and looked back at the TV, a forced smile gracing her lips. "It's kind of stupid. I just saw someone being happy."

"Someone you like?" Jinx pressed.

The blue-haired girl nodded. She bit her lip as it started to quiver.

"And happy, as in with another girl?"

"Another one, added to the endless stream of girls."

"I'm not the best with relationships, but I know that if it's meant to be, he'll find his way to you. If not, he's just a player not worth your time. Until then, all you can do is wait." Jinx paused, debating whether she should say what she knew. She internally shrugged and went for it. "But I trust Beast Boy will come around eventually."

Raven turned to Jinx with a look of shock, her cheeks flushing pink. "How - how'd you know it was him?"

Jinx laughed lightly. "You don't exactly hide it well." Jinxed laughed lightly. "At least, not for an outsider to tell," she added quickly when she saw the look of dread on Raven's face. "I'm on the fringes just enough that I see much more than everyone thinks. I'm probably the only one who knows." She wouldn't tell Raven what else she saw. That, when Raven wasn't looking, Beast Boy stole glances at her, longing in his eyes. She didn't want to push them into a relationship when they weren't ready.

"Oh." Raven looked down at her now empty ice cream tub.

"But I don't think you should just sit here waiting for him to come around, either. Have some fun while you wait. Get some experience."

"With whom? It's not like I have guys falling at my feet, like Starfire."

"Wally seemed pretty into you tonight."

Raven scoffed. "We were both drunk."

"So?" Jinx responded. "I know him; he wouldn't put the moves on just anyone."

"But he's your ex."

Jinx smiled. "I don't mind, girl. Go for it. It's just fun. Call him in the morning and ask him to hang out. The worst he can do is say no."

Raven sighed in defeat. "I guess it won't hurt."

Jinx put her arm around her friend. "Good. Got any nail polish? My nails are in some desperate need of attention."


End file.
